Method and apparatus for enhanced driving experience including dynamic POI identification

• US 9,874,452 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Boes, Chad Christopher, Esselink, Chad Evert, Shaffer, Andrew E., Counts, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US13/826,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 701533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive vehicle coordinates. The processor is also configured to compare the vehicle coordinates to geo-fence coordinate sets of a plurality of geo-fences surrounding point of interest (POI), wherein at least a portion of each geo-fence is within some predetermined distance from the vehicle coordinates. The processor is further configured to receive information relating to the POI if the vehicle coordinates fall within the geo-fence coordinates and instruct presentation of the received information to vehicle occupants.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive vehicle coordinates;

compare the vehicle coordinates to geo-fence coordinate sets of a plurality of geo-fences surrounding points of interest (POI), wherein at least a portion of each geo-fence is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle coordinates;

receive information relating to the POI if the vehicle coordinates fall within the geo-fence coordinates; and

instruct presentation of the received information to vehicle occupants.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a route, including a plurality of projected vehicle coordinates.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to compare one or more of the projected coordinates to one or more geo-fence coordinate sets.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more geo-fence coordinates for comparison to each projected coordinate are determined by some portion of the geo-fence for each coordinate set being within the predetermined distance from the projected coordinate.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to pre-load POI information for any coincidences of projected coordinates and a geo-fence coordinate set for a given POI.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to receive one or more geo-fence coordinate sets each related to a POI, wherein a coordinate characteristic of each coordinate set is within a predetermined distance of at least one projected coordinate.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the POI includes a temporal characteristic, and wherein the processor is further configured to compare a current time or date to the temporal characteristic and instruct presentation only if the current time or date is before an end point of the temporal characteristic.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving vehicle coordinates;

comparing the vehicle coordinates, via a computing system, to geo-fence coordinate sets of a plurality of geo-fences surrounding points of interest (POI), wherein at least a portion of each geo-fence is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle coordinates;

receiving information relating to the POI if the vehicle coordinates fall within the geo-fence coordinates; and

instructing presentation of the received information to vehicle occupants.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a route, including a plurality of projected vehicle coordinates.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising comparing one or more of the projected coordinates to one or more geo-fence coordinate sets.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more geo-fence coordinates for comparison to each projected coordinate are determined by some portion of the geo-fence for each coordinate set being within the predetermined distance from the projected coordinate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising pre-loading POI information for any coincidences of projected coordinates and a geo-fence coordinate set for a given POI.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving one or more geo-fence coordinate sets each related to a POI, wherein a coordinate characteristic of each coordinate set is within a predetermined distance of at least one projected coordinate.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the POI includes a temporal characteristic, and wherein the comparing further includes comparing a current time or date to the temporal characteristic and the instructing further includes instructing presentation only if the current time or date is before an end point of the temporal characteristic.

15. A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving vehicle coordinates;

comparing the vehicle coordinates, via a computing system, to geo-fence coordinate sets of a plurality of geo-fences surrounding points of interest (POI), wherein at least a portion of each geo-fence is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle coordinates;

receiving information relating to the POI if the vehicle coordinates fall within the geo-fence coordinates; and

instructing presentation of the received information to vehicle occupants.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving a route, including a plurality of projected vehicle coordinates.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising comparing one or more of the projected coordinates to one or more geo-fence coordinate sets.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more geo-fence coordinates for comparison to each projected coordinate are determined by some portion of the geo-fence for each coordinate set being within the predetermined distance from the projected coordinate.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, further comprising pre-loading POI information for any coincidences of projected coordinates and a geo-fence coordinate set for a given POI.

20. The storage medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving one or more geo-fence coordinate sets each related to a POI, wherein a coordinate characteristic of each coordinate set is within a predetermined distance of at least one projected coordinate.